Apparatus for filling containers with a leaf-like material mixed with a liquor



June 1964 K HENGSTENBERG ETAL 6 APPARATUS F0 FILLING CONTAINERS WITH A LEAFLI Filed Nov. 24, 1961 MATERIAL MIXED WITH A LIQUOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 LV//A r:

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ATTORNEYS June 30. 19 4 K. HENGSTENBERG ETAL 3,139,122

APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS WITH A LEAF-LIKE MATERIAL MIXED WITH A LIQUOR Filed Nov. 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ATTORNEYS United States Patent v Kurt Hengstenherg, Esslingen (Neckar), and Christian Korch, Frankfurt am Main-Bonames, Germany, as-

signers to Firma Richard Hengstenberg, Esslingen' (Neckar), Germany Filed Nov. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 154,650 Claims priority, application Germany Nov. 24, 1960 9 Claims. (Cl. 141--275) The invention relates to a process and apparatus for filling containers, and more especially for filling tin cans with sauerkraut, spinach or other leafy foods.

It is known, in canning'sauerkraut, to press the kraut by a worm or piston into an inwardly tapering tube to form a strand, most of the liquor and air being removed because of the sieve-like construction of the tube. The end of the strand is pressed into a can and then cut off.

This procedure has the disadvantage, especially when using a worm, of applying to the kraut uncontrollable high pressures, which damage the structure of the kraut and produce on both end surfaces of the kraut filling of the can signs of cutting, so that the deposited kraut fibers are shortened and unsightly.

In another process, a quantity of kraut corresponding to the volume of the can is sucked into a sieve cylinder. After the accumulation of the required quantity, the kraut is pushed by a piston into the can. This procedure requires the feeding of the kraut through a special transfer pipe, which opens into the side of the cylinder. Here also the kraut is cut at the dividing surface between the pipe and the cylinder.

The primary object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of these prior procedures.

According to the invention, the kraut is flushed directly from the supply vat into the sieve cylinder by an excess of liquor, and the excess liquor escaping from the cylinder is returned to the vat. The returning excess can then be used to loosen up the kraut as it is forked into the vat. The kraut is removed from the cylinder by a piston which pushes it out after a slide valve at the bottom of the cylinder is opened. The cylinder can be located directly below the bottom of the blanching or cooking vessel.

It has been found that the column of kraut in the cylinder can be pushed out with the use of less power if the cylinder is formed with longitudinal slots in the walls, rather than holes. This also aids in avoiding damages to the kraut fibers on the outside of the column. Even though with such a construction some kraut fibers pass out with the excess liquor, this is of no importance since they are returned to the vat.

The suction required for drawing the liquor through the cylinder is dependent on the degree of filling of the cylinder with solid material, and the increase in suction can be used to indicate the time when the cylinder is filled and the contents should be discharged.

In order to prevent piling up of kraut over the openings into thecylinders and to maintain a uniform flushing action, scrapers or skimmers running back and forth continuously over the openings may be provided.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description, espe cially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows, in vertical section, an apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section on the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-section at right angles to FIG. 1, of a multiple unit.

3,139,122 Patented June 30, 1964 Vat 1 is filled with sauerkraut and broth in the proportion of one part of the kraut to fromtwo to five parts of broth, so that there is substantial excess of broth. Below an opening. in the bottom wall of the vat is positioned a cylinder formed by spaced vertical rods 2 with slots therebetween and surrounded by a closed jacket 3. The bottom of the cylinder is normally closed by a slide valve 9, which seals the lower opening of the jacket 3 by an O-ring 12 and thus prevents access of air to the sauerkraut during filling of the cylinder. A pipe 4a leadsfrom jacket 3 to a fluid pump 5, which exerts a suction on the kraut and liquor in the cylinder 2. The kraut is caught in the cylinder, while the liquor is returned to the vat 1 by the connection 4a. The liquid flowing into the vat effects a loosening up of the kraut in the vat, which is forked in at the point of return of the liquor. During the flow of kraut and liquor into the cylinder 2, a scraper or skimmer 8 is moved constantly back and forth above the opening to produce uniform deposition of the kraut.

The degree of vacuum in the suction pipe 4a is measured by a vacuum meter 6. As soon as the vacuum, because of filling of the cylinder, reaches a predetermined value, the piston 7 is lowered and the slide valve 9 is opened. Previously, a can 10 is raised by the lifter 11 against the bottom of the cylinder. After the column of kraut in the cylinder has been pushed into the can, the piston 7 is raised, the can slowly lowered and the valve 9 again closed. The can is then closed in the usual way. The movements of the piston 7, the valve 9 and the can lifter 11 are produced by hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders 13, 14 and 16 respectively, while stripper 8 is moved in a similar way.

The upper and lower faces of the piston are slanted, being either conical or spherical. This prevents creation of a suction at the lower face by upward withdrawal of the piston, which might suck up kraut from the can, and also allows any accumulation of kraut fibers on the upper face resulting from the upward movement to slide off.

Of course the vat can be provided with a plurality of filling arrangements which operate independently. Each of the cylinders is then provided with a separate suction measuring device connected to the suction pipe to control the release of the discharge cycle.

The filling procedure according to the invention makes it possible to obtain a very uniform filling of the several cylinders at the same time, if they are all connected to one pump. If one cylinder fills faster than the others, the resistance to flow in it becomes greater, and the throughflow of liquor and the deposit of kraut increases in the less filled cylinder. A self-regulation of the degree of filling between the different cylinders results, and the accumulated quantities of kraut can be pressed simultaneously into the cans. Since this makes possible the simultaneous cycle of several filling arrangements, only one suction measuring device is needed, which is preferably connected to a common pipe leading to the pump.

FIG. 4 shows a filling apparatus with several filling arrangements working simultaneously. At the bottom of vat 20 are six sieve cylinders 21 to 26, which are connected by suitable pipes to a common pipe leading to a suction pump and back to the vat. Pistons 27 to 32 and can lifters 33 to 38 are connected to cross-beams 39 and 40 respectively, which are operated by fluid-pressure cylinders 41, 42 by which they are raised and lowered. In a similar way the gate valves 42 to 48 and the skimmers 49 are operated.

The can lifters and pistons are either resiliently connected to the cross-bars or are connected by adjustable pressure-dependent lost-motion connections, so that if the whole cylinder pressure is exerted on one piston or can lifter, it can stop while the others continue to move. This our invention, we Wish it to be understood that We do not intend to limit ourselves thereby except within the scope of the claims hereto or hereinafter appended- We claim: 1. Apparatus for filling containers with a leaf-like material mixed with a liquor comprising a vat with a bottom wall with an opening therein, a cylinder mounted belowthe opening, means for opening and closing the bottom of the cylinder, means to hold a can against the bottom of the cylinder, the side Wall of the cylinder having passages therethrough, means associated with the cylinder to collect material passingoutwardly through said passages and returning it to the'vat, a piston, and

means mounting the piston in the vat above the cylinder and for moving the piston downwardly through the cy'linder to the bottom thereof. I

. 2.. In apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said side wall openings comprising slots running longitudinally of the cylinder.

Y 3. In apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said side wa comprising spaced bars extending longitudinally of the 7 cylinder.

4. In apparatus as claimed in claim 3, a skimmer, and means mounting the skimmer to move across the bottom Wall above said opening.

5. In apparatus as claimed in claim 4, said returning means comprising a pipe and a suction pump connected to the pipe, and means connected to the pipe to measure the pressure therein.

6. In apparatus as claimed in claim 5, said piston being round in cross-section and having sloping ends.

7. In apparatus as claimed in claim 1, a skimmer, and means mounting the skimmer to move across the bottom wall above said opening.

8. In apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said returning means comprising a pipe and a suction pump connected to the pipe, and means connected to the pipe to measure the pressure therein.

9. In apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said piston being round in cross-section and having sloping ends.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Vogt Mar. 31, 

1. APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS WITH A LEAF-LIKE MATERIAL MIXED WITH A LIQUOR COMPRISING A VAT WITH A BOTTOM WALL WITH AN OPENING THEREIN, A CYLINDER MOUNTED BELOW THE OPENING, MEANS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING THE BOTTOM OF THE CYLINDER, MEANS TO HOLD A CAN AGAINST THE BOTTOM OF THE CYLINDER, THE SIDE WALL OF THE CYLINDER HAVING PASSAGES THERETHROUGH, MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CYLINDER TO COLLECT MATERIAL PASSING OUTWARDLY THROUGH SAID PASSAGES AND RETURNING IT TO THE VAT, A PISTON, AND MEANS MOUNTING THE PISTON IN THE VAT ABOVE THE CYLINDER AND FOR MOVING THE PISTON DOWNWARDLY THROUGH THE CYLINDER TO THE BOTTOM THEREOF. 